Betrayal
by MattieCanadaEh
Summary: In reward for helping the Russian he loved during the Cold War, Matthew Williams is arrested for being a communist, while his brother, Alfred, is his prosecutor. Cold War AU  Slight Rus/Can


**AN: Okay everyone~! This is it :D My very first (and only) request so far is finally ready to be shown to the world! **

**Thank you to my lovely, lovely Beta for checking this over and helping me make the ending finally come together.  
**

**This fic is for SovietChick. I really hope you enjoy it and I'm sorry it took so long.**

**This is an AU fic, so none of the characters are countries and no, Matthew is not even Canadian. **

**Story notes will be placed in the ending Author's Note. **

**Enjoy~**

* * *

"Matthew, can you tell the court why you're here?" Alfred Jones asked, clad in his nicest suit as he paced the packed court room, filled with various people of all colors and races who really had no purpose in being there aside from becoming an enormous heater in an already hot room. There was no response to the question that had been asked, so he decided to push the boy on the stand, in hopes of getting him to speak. "Well?" After several more moments of heavy silence, the man sighed and looked at the judge where he sat, overshadowing the poor boy at his side.

"Answer the question, Mr. Williams." The judge said, scratching his head with a heavy sigh as the small, blonde haired boy next to him, trembled under his hard tone. Nothing like the boy's brother, who was one of the top lawyers in the New York area; the very one who was questioning young Matthew Williams at that moment with a growing hostility. Alfred hated communism, like a true American, and knowing his own flesh and blood had joined the dark side…destroyed him.

Matthew looked up from his folded hands which were covered in a thin sheet of sweat and instead looked out through his glasses into the crowded court room, as if he was looking for someone, but when he realized that person wasn't there, he merely leaned forward to the microphone and spoke his answer. "…I-I'm here because…y-you think I'm spying for the Soviet Union." The young man finally answered, voice shaking with emotion as he heard the raised whispers and murmurs grow into angry protests and shouts from the people in the room, causing the judge to bang his gavel on his desk several times and demand order in the room.

When the crowd was finally silenced once again, Alfred took a deep breath and adjusted his tie, once more looking to the boy on the stand, showing no emotion and no mercy. This kid wasn't his brother anymore; he was a traitor to the American nation. "No, Matthew. You're here because you passed along government information to the Soviet Union. We don't think you're a spy. We _know_ you're a spy! A traitor! You're a cold hearted Communist! Aren't you? Aren't you?" he demanded harshly, causing the boy to flinch in fear. After so many days of harsh interrogation by the leader of the Communist witch hunt, McCarthy, it was no surprise that Matthew was falling apart at the seams. The questioning was always hard; it broke people down until they were confessing things they hadn't done, things they didn't mean, all while sobbing and crying the entire time.

"N-No, I…I-I mean, yes, I was passing along information but it was only to one person…!" Matthew protested, trying to defend himself but it was only in vain as it seemed to only make it worse. His head was spinning; days of heavy interrogation, little food and almost no sleep were catching up to him. As much as he wanted to defend himself, he _was_ a traitor, a spy. He'd been passing along information for the sake of his Russian lover, Ivan Braginski, who had once lived in America just after the Cold War began. Ivan was also a spy; tall with knowing violet eyes that held all of America's secrets and all the information needed to rob a bank or even gain access to the most hidden of files. They had fallen in love the moment they met, but when Ivan had been called back to Russia, Matthew had offered to take on his duties and smuggle information back and forth between countries. He received the information from other hidden spies in the country, merely writing down what he'd been given on the insides of soup can labels before he reassembled them and sent them along to Russia where Ivan was waiting. Unfortunately, in order to save their skins, fellow Russians had sold the boy out and he'd been caught red handed within a matter of months.

"So, you were sending our secrets to another person? Who was it, Matthew? Can you tell us? If you tell us who were giving the information to…Then maybe all of this can go away. All of this would just happen to vanish if you tell us the name of the person you're defending." Alfred said smoothly, sounding almost exactly like McCarthy as he spoke. Alfred went to the judge's desk, taking a piece of paper from the finely polished wood before stepping back to his place in the center of the court. "Just say yes or no to these names on whether or not they are Communists…and the punishment won't be nearly as fierce on you." With that, he held the paper out for all in the court to see before starting to read it out loud.

Matthew listened to his brother list the names of people he knew and people he didn't, staring at his hands, determined not to speak and sell out his friends like people had for him. "This trial is about me, Mr. Jones. Not the people on that list. If you have any questions having to do with me, I'd be happy to answer them for you." He said firmly, all hesitation gone suddenly as he straightened up in his chair, looking his brother straight in the eye. If Alfred wanted to play like a lawyer, then Matthew could play like a criminal. A little similar to the game 'Cops and Robbers' that the two had played as children, only unlike the robber in the game, Matthew was sure he was going to lose.

"Don't play that game with me, Matthew. Just answer the damn question. Are any of these people commies? What about this one? A Mister…Ivan Braginski?" he asked, noticing the sudden fire in his brother's eyes and all he could do was smirk. Ah…A name that sparked a reaction? Well, he would just have to find out who it was, wouldn't he? "So, you know him? Who is he, Matthew?" He waited for a response before sighing heavily. "Matthew Williams, is Ivan Braginski a communist? Matthew? Matthew!"

"No! No! No!" Matthew shrieked, covering his ears with his hands to block out the questions, the shouting, and the accusations. "Ivan is not a bad person! He's not! He's good, kind…H-He'd never hurt anyone…If anyone is the bad person, it's me! I'm the traitor, a communist! I'll confess to anything you want just…j-just leave Ivan alone…" Matthew fell back in his seat and covered his eyes with his hand, hiding from the world in the darkness. "Just…leave him alone…"

"…So, you plead guilty to the charges of being a traitor to your country and passing along government information to another source?" Alfred asked after a moment of silence; feeling a tinge of pain in his chest at seeing his brother give up so easily. When he saw the blonde head bob in a nodding fashion, he sighed and looked at the judge, feeling utterly defeated even though he'd won. Matthew would more than likely be killed before the option of prison was even thought of. "No more questions, your honor."

"Very well, Alfred, please take your seat." The judge said, glancing down at Matthew, who merely found his lap more interesting then meeting the judge's gaze. With a sigh, the man turned in his chair to the small gathering of people who had their own special section off to the side. "Jury, how do you find the defendant?"

A small man, plump with beady eyes stood up, adjusting his tie and clearing his throat as he held up a small slip of paper, glancing in Matthew's direction and merely shaking his head in disgust. "We find the defendant, Matthew Williams, guilty of treachery, giving secret information illegally to a foreign country, and for being a communist." He ready simply before sitting himself down once again, watching eagerly, as was everyone else, for the result of his crimes.

"I can't say I'm surprised by your decision. Mr. Williams, please stand…" The judge said, watching the skinny, young man stand up in his place before he rubbed the bridge of his nose. He had to do what was right for the country. Putting Matthew in prison would solve nothing but give him a chance at getting out again. Then where would they be? He may go out and start betraying their country again! "Mr. Williams, under the circumstances of your crimes, I have no choice but to give you the sentence I have decided on. Due to your intense crimes against the United States of America, I sentence you to death by electrocution. Court is dismissed." With that, he hit the gavel against the desk with such force that the echo seemed to go on forever and for once, the court room was silent.

* * *

Matthew wondered if being electrocuted hurt at all or if it was quick and painless like going to sleep. He wished he could tell Ivan what had happened, because his poor, sweet Vanya was in Russia, unaware that he was convicted and would soon be sentenced to death. While he sat in his holding cell, pushed between the bed and the back corner, covered in a blanket of darkness, he cried. He cried because he would never see Ivan again and because he'd let him down. He'd let Ivan down by failing in his task to smuggle information. When he heard the hard metal door in the hall slam open, the boy jumped to his feet and in a rush went to dry his tears, not wanting the guards to pick on him for crying. They always made fun of him…They just wanted to make his life miserable before he had to die. Though, who he saw there took him by surprise; "A-Alfred?"

Alfred Jones stood there in his suit, having just come from another case, watching his younger brother with weary blue eyes which were once filled with happiness. This was his first time visiting his contained brother since the day in court and the guilt was eating him alive. Matthew was a traitor, a communist, but he was also his brother. He had to take care of him at least one more time before he was executed for a crime Alfred himself had persecuted him for. "I came to check on you…You know…Because of tomorrow…" he said awkwardly, staring down at his finely polished shoes before sighing heavily, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm here for your final request…Anything you want, Matt, it's yours."

Matthew watched his brother's face for some time before he gave a watery smile, only replying with one request. "…I'd like to have access to a phone…please."

* * *

It was over and done; Matthew was gone. Alfred, like his brother had requested, called Ivan Braginski and told him that Matthew wanted him there in his last moments, so they were both there when the button was pushed, multiple times as a matter of fact, and Matthew left the world. Though Matthew's body had been removed, the two older men remained in the room that took an important link in their life away; a link that had been holding their lives together. Now, they were both falling apart.

Alfred was hysterical, unable to be consoled by anyone as he sobbed; the guilt for allowing his brother to suffer like this was eating him alive, but the only person he could blame…was Ivan. "This is _your_ fault, damn commie! If it weren't for you, Mattie would have never gotten into the trouble he did and he would _still be here!_" he yelled, furiously wiping at his teary cheeks in his rage, hitting his fists into the wall. "You could have saved him! You could have protected him by keeping your damn commie job in your damn commie country where it belonged! You drove him here!"

Ivan, though, showed no emotion in the after effects of Matthew's death. He simply stood there, propped against the wall and staring at the floor, not saying a word or showing a sign that the loss was affecting him. But it was, oh God, it was. Ivan felt entirely destroyed by this entire issue because…it was his fault. Alfred was right, it _was_ his fault. If he hadn't met Matthew, he would be alive and happy, not being buried under six feet of dirt long before his time.

"You're right."

The air felt heavy with the simple reply and a nod. Even without the sound filling the space, Ivan instead could feel a familiar chain and dull pain in his chest. It wasn't the first time he had been alone, but without Matthew, it was the hardest. Matthew had been that one illuminating shred of hope to his life; he was the only value left that had convinced Ivan that the world was more than a war game of spies and treason. Yet, in his attempt to leave that, he only dragged Matvey into that very world he hated.

And he really couldn't bring himself to lie to both Alfred and himself.

"And if he wasn't so intent on protecting you, then he would have been spared! Mattie was always thinking more about others then he thought about himself! But why…why did he have to think about you? A communist! He loved you! He _loved_ you!" Alfred shouted, glaring at the man who merely nodded his head but said nothing. "So typical of you commies to just ruin people's lives and then say nothing! Just…Just go home, commie. Go! Haven't you done enough already?"

With Matthew gone, Ivan knew that Russia would start plotting again. They'd want him to find a new leak, new bait, and more lies…it wasn't worth it. After Matthew, everything was so dull compared to that small period of time spent with an overlooked boy with too kind of a heart. Matthew seemed like the real spy, better than Ivan's covert operations with the full smoke and mirrors ever was; he went about his life unnoticed, without anyone discovering that brilliant heart of his, and an insightful mind that found beauty in the dirtiest, most obscure crevices of life. Like him.

It wasn't until Alfred's yelling stop, and had ceased to sobs that Ivan realized his breathing had become shallow. A certain pull tugged at his heart, and not even a thick swallow could bring back what had just been stolen. America's ignorance stole the only happiness he had ever known, and as much as he wanted to hate, to take the most grotesque revenge imaginable through blatant terror and already stained hands; Matthew wouldn't like that.

And so he left.

And America's eyes snapped at the retreating figure, yelling out a few more obscenities before collapsing into himself. The tears were stinging, and the more he wiped at cerulean orbs glowing an angry red at the edges, the more wetness pooled there. He wasn't the goddamned hero, not the lawyer that would bring justice. Not when his baby brother was dead. Alfred wouldn't say that America failed him; no, the justice system, _McCarthy,_ weren't flawed. It was the fucking commie's fault. If only he saved Mattie, if only he stopped him from being led into this like a good big brother. Matthew had been tricked, that's what it was.

But not even the violent fits would bring back soft-spoken encouragements, and pancakes with too much syrup for dinner every Saturday. Alfred's stomach was twisting in a sick, wrenching cycle, with each turn more grueling than the last. A wave of nausea nearly overcame him the moment he tried to think about something happy. Happiness was Mattie smiling, but the electrified bits of flesh would never reshape into that image.

Was Matthew happy? The skin on Alfred's palm gave in, and bubbles of blood joined into little red crescents—red, red took his Mattie. Matthew surely couldn't have been happy with that Russian. His brother had been good. Had been _American. _Why would he want to protect communism? Unless it—rather, _he_—was that important to him. He could have backed down.

Matthew died fighting.

Alfred wanted to scream again. He didn't die for communism, he died for _Ivan._ And he couldn't decide whether it made it better or worse that his brother was the strong one until the end.

* * *

**Historical Facts:**

**~This fic takes place during the Cold War: 1945-1991. **** Just after WWII, the Soviet Union, while aiding the reconstruction of other countries, turned countries of Eastern Europe into satellite states, which meant they were strongly influenced politically and economically by the Russian rule over them.**** The Americans were afraid that the Russians were going to take them over, while the Russians were afraid that the Americans would nuke them. They never fought in a head on battle, in fear of the possible nuclear war that followed, but they weren't on the best terms at the time.**

**~Due to the lack of trust, Americans persecuted many people they believed to be Communist or in the practice of Communism. Many people's lives were ruined due to being 'blacklisted', which took away all of their belongings and ruined their previously good names.  
**

**~McCarthy, as mentioned, was a highly paranoid English politician who was helping America with their 'Communist problem.' His method of interrogating people was far more intense then anything the American justice system ever had. He harshly interrogated suspects in a small room with a lamp shining over their heads while giving them nothing to eat or drink until it drove them to the brink of insanity and they confessed to anything he wanted just to leave.  
**

**~Matthew's story is loosely based on Julius and Edith Rosenburg. The Rosenburgs were a Jewish couple that lived in America during the Cold War, but soon turned out to be smuggling information about the atomic bomb to the Soviet Union. They were given a trial, but were found guilty of their crimes. Instead of being put in prison, they were sentenced to death by electrocution. Edith wasn't killed by the first shock, so she was given several more zaps until smoke rose from her head. It is one of the most controversial execution to this day.  
**

**Comments make me smile :3 Constructive criticism is nice too~ **

**So...Leave a comment on your thoughts. (Maybe even request a story if you enjoyed this one?) **

**Thank you for reading~!  
**


End file.
